Page 125 - Mind, Body and Spirit No. 105 2021/22

DEFENCE SCHOOL OF POLICING & GUARDING (DSPG)
WO2 (QMSI) C A Wood RAPTC
Just over a year in the hotseat now at the Joint-Service Policing School DSPG. Things have without doubt firmly moved on since my arrival in late 2020. The nervous disposition towards
the flashing blue lights has all but rescinded. More importantly, however, we now really get to speak to people face-to-face. The virtual world we seemed to be living in, has now all but evaporated and it is nearly business as usual. As alluded to above, it is good to be able to move away from the on-line meetings and eventually get to meet people, like the SO2 LWC Maj (MAA) R Lundie RAPTC, who used the excuse of a PDA to get out of his office and visit the famous D-day landing map room within Southwick House, home to the Officers’ Mess here at DSPG.
Neptune building is our home, the QMSI and the newest member of the team have a great vantage point, to view the latest joint- service policing courses on parade from our office window. The trainees better not move a muscle or Rory the dog will be on them double-quick time. With a 20-week window here for Initial Trade Training (ITT) trainees at DSPG, it really is a fantastic phase to ensure we can impress all aspects of APTS on the trainees. Regardless of service, the product has proven a great success! Whilst it may seem very Army orientated, the PD training objectives in a joint service training environment differ vastly, with RFT clearly being the output at the top of that list. Initial statistics are showing up well, with good staff, good product and the main thing on our side being ‘time.’ The roll out of the new Non-GCC RFT has been seamless and successful.
Not all work however, the return to some semblance of normality has also seen us get back on the sporting and adventurous training trail. Having the Solent on our doorstep really makes life easy, if you like life on the water I guess and it is nice to get the PT staff away from the rigours of daily business, they still moan however! From a sporting perspective the reinvigoration of the Commandant’s Cup has allowed us to expose the trainees to some healthy in-house sporting competition. The highlight of the sporting year at DSPG was the finale of the 11 Bde Cross Country League. With over 150 runners it is great to be back with the masses, organising and partaking in activities, which are the bread and butter of the RAPTCI and what we do best.
123
RFT personnel disappear into the Gloom at Southwick Park
Personally, I am very content with life at DSPG. Considering I did not know the place existed or where it was when I received my assignment, it’s been a great environment to learn my trade as a WO2. The Joint Service piece gives it a nice bit of variety to the role and managing staff from the different services has been a learning experience. The RAPTC FC OSV will get the upcoming training year off to a big start and hopefully we can continue to build upon what is already in place at the school of service policing.
‘Exemplo Ducemus’
The start of the 11 Bde Cross Country League finale
A little bit of fire & manoeuvre in the Southwick sun during RFT